The club has moved to update their first-team squad numbers before their first Premier League game of the season against Sunderland in the wake of the Dutchman's departure, with the England midfielder handed the shirt previously worn by the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and William Gallas in the past.

The result has seen new signing Santi Cazorla taking the No.19 shirt which Wilshere used to play in and it's been confirmed that Lukas Podolski will be wearing the No.9 shirt in his debut season in English football.

The final change brought on by Van Persie's sale sees Park Chu Young, who wore the number nine last season, taking the No.30 shirt.

Wilshere has been ruled out with injury for the best part of 12 months after suffering a stress fracture in his ankle during pre-season last year, which later led to surgery and subsequently a number of setbacks.

The 20-year-old missed all of last season, failing to register a single appearance all term, while also failing to make the Euro 2012 and Olympic Games squads after failing to recover in time and has been ruled out until at least October already this season.